Sunrise on the Ganges in Varanasi

Ade set a new photography record in Varanasi.

One hundred photos before 7am, that’s extreme. Even for Ade. But the Ganges has that effect.

The city centre is madness, there are more tourists in Varanasi than we have seen in all of India, all here to see the Ganges.

We had arranged a rickshaw wallah the day before so at 4am prompt he is outside our hotel, waiting to take us to the Ganges before sunrise.

Winding our way around the backstreets of the deserted city, I am just starting to think we are being taken on a joyride when the Ganges opens up before us.

That first view of the holy waters is breathtaking. The golden glow over the river makes for a very spiritual experience. The river itself is much wider than I had anticipated and while one side is crowded with Ghats, the opposite bank is barren.

The Ganges at sunrise is packed with boatloads of tourists of all nationalities. We sail past the ghats and watch as the locals go about their usual routines – washing their clothes and bathing in the holy waters, some even went as far as drinking the water – a very brave move indeed, given the colour of the water and the stories you hear of dead animals floating by.

The ghats are a haven for the entrepreneurial type with people selling everything from boat trips along the river to jewellery, toys or even massages.

We opt for a massage. Let this tale be a warning to you all.

Our masseur comes to our hotel, Ade goes first (I’m still non-committal, I want to see what Ade thinks of his massage first). But the masseur, let’s call him Jim, finishes Ade’s massage and looks at me expectantly. I’m looking at Ade trying to get a read on whether it was worth the $5 asking price. He is struggling to tell me anything with Jim watching on.

So I agree.

And what ensues is a pummelling the likes of which I’ve never experienced. He does not so much as massage my neck and back as whack me with his palm. It is in no way pleasant or therapeutic. We pay our $5 each, avoid paying the ‘baksheesh’ he’s requesting and send him on his way.

While the day starts early on the Ganges, it by no means finishes early. At night there is a carnival-like atmosphere as locals and tourists alike, once again fill the steps of the ghats.

While each of the ghats are interesting in their own way, the most fascinating is the Manikarnika Ghat. This is the most sacred of all the ghats and is adjacent to the primary cremation ground.

The pyres burn constantly as bodies are laid out to make their way into the next life. The surrounding buildings are tinged with black from the smoke, lending an eerie feeling to this part of the Ganges.

Central Varanasi is a maze of narrow laneways full of market stalls. As well as the stalls the Golden Temple and the Jnana Vapi Mosque are both in the city centre. There are also temples on almost every corner – from small shrines to large temples. 

It’s a great place to simply wander around and get lost in.

And there is no shortage of tuk tuk drivers here to help you traverse the city centre.

At some point I happen to ask our driver if there is a bookshop in town. He drives us to the shop, it’s  early, too early apparently and the shop is still closed.

But this is India. The tuk tuk driver calls out to one of the neighbouring shop owners. They track down the owner who promptly arrives and opens the shop for us, apologising profusely for not being open when we arrived. 

I buy five books to make up for his generosity and the inconvenience we’ve caused.

Fast Facts

We travelled in 2007.

We spent three nights in Varanasi.

Was it long enough: It was a good amount of time to take in the city and wander through the ghats.

Highlights: The generosity of the locals finding the bookseller and opening the bookstore for us, the Ganges at sunrise – nothing can quite compare.

Read more about our adventures in India here.

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